Soldering Iron

[QldKev]

My trusty (aka old) soldering iron has died. It was a really cheap and nasty piece of gear. I'm looking at getting a new one.

I want to mainly solder electronic crap, and a bit of 12v wiring in the car etc. It won't get a huge work load. A couple of Arduino projects and other crap.

I see here
http://www.jaycar.com.au/images_uploaded/SCFEB12AU.pdf
on page 2 they have a 48w soldering station,

is this the go or should I be looking elsewhere.

QldKev

 

[fraser_john]

I got this in an email flyer from them today too and though I have two soldering irons, none of them are workstation based, which makes this a good looking unit for the price.

 

[Airgead]

Not a bad looking unit for the price. I used to solder stuff for a living so I have a very nice Weller station but you are looking at serious $ there.

The one thing I would find out first is whether replacement tips are available.

Cheers
Dave

Edit - your other choice, especially if you are doing stuff in the car would be a portable, gas powered one. If you do go that way, get a good one. I have had more than one cheap one blow up in my hand...

 

[QldKev]

Bit worried about gas powered ones

If i go without the station, something like this
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SOLDER-TEMPERAT...=item5d31acddec

Whats the main draw backs? (I'm not going to be soldering all day long or anything)
I realize the ebay warranty is useless as the cost of post would absorb most of the value.

edit: Found their site
Tips are $6 http://www.radioparts.com.au/ProductBrowse...esc=DOSS+SPARES



QldKev

 

[Amber Fluid]

There is another smaller, cheaper one on the last page of the Jaycar cat too. Don't know if it is suitable for your needs though.

 

[barls]

im using the 30 buck special one from the big green shed. i know i really should reacquire the one i got from work thats a weller temp controlled station from the old man but seriously i dont do enough soldering to warrant it.

 

[QldKev]

I've never really done a lot of the electronics soldering, and though one with a thermostat would make life easier when it comes time to do the Audrino work?

The one that I had got way too hot after 10mins of working, and I would need to unplug it, then plug it back in, then unplug it when working

Maybe that 20w one could hold a decent temp for soldering?

 

[newguy]

That unit looks pretty good, but as others have suggested, inquire about replacement tips. From the look of it, it should have interchangeable tips available. Something I haven't seen mentioned here, though, is that not all tips are the same. There are tiny tips for fine work and massive tips for not-so-fine work. Get the finest cone tip for fine work, a 0.031 and 0.062 screwdriver tips for intermediate work, and a good chisel tip for big stuff.

A little can of tip tinner will help save your tips and your sanity too.

 

[raven19]

I grabbed mine from Tandy or Dick Smiths iirc, lowish wattage - takes a while to warm up but works a treat. Only cost me around $25.

 

[komodo]

For doing stuff on the car get an iroda gas iron.
Quick, no cables to worry about and can be used with blow torch tips etc for heaps of jobs.
I never use my variable electric iron these days - hell I wouldnt even know where it is.